Weaving-machine



T. TERRELL. H wmvme MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. 1920.

- 1,399,904. Patented Dex:- 13, 1921.

-5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. TERRELL. 'WE AVING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB- 24. 1920. I

- Patented Dec. 13, 1921. I 5 SHEETS-SflEET 2- WWW" 0 n U r H-I H u H xI. n n

T. TERRELL.

WEAVING MACHINE. APPLICATION FELED FEB. 24, 1920.

1,399,904. Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

5'SHEETSSHEET 3- .T-TERRELL.

WEAVING MACHINE. APPLICATION FI LED FEB. 24, 1920.

1,399,904, Patented Dec. 13,1921. I

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

Jam M, 1 am T. TERRELL.

WEA VING MACHINE. APPLICATION, FILED FEB. 24. 1920,

9 904 Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

5 SHEETS- SHEET 5- UNITED STATES THOMAS TERRELL, 'OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

WEAVING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Batent.

Application filed February 24, 1920. ;Serial No. 360,951.

' T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS TERRELL, K; C., asubject of the King of England, residing at London, England,'haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Weaving-Machines, ofwhich thefollowing is a specification. 7

The present invention relates broadly to weaving machines, and moreparticularly to machines of this nature adaptedto weave tubulararticles.

An important object of the present invention is to provide av machinefor weaving tubular articles of different or varying diameters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mandrel on whichthe-fabric is woven, which mandrel is shaped to determine the diameterof configuration of the completed article.

Still another object of the present-invention is to provide means fordrawing off the woven fabric from the mandrel at substantially the samerate as the weaving is accomplished thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for reciprocatingthe mandrel through or across the weaving plane during the weavingoperation, whereby the differently shaped portions thereof may bebrought into operation at the desired times.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a series ofbobbins carrying the warp threads, which bobbins are adapted to beoperated toform a shed by the reciprocation at predetermined times ofjacks pro-' vided for this purpose.

An additional object of this invention is to provide guiding meanswhereby the weft threads employed are laid on the mandrel always in thesame position longitudinally of the axis thereof, irrespective of theposition of the mandrel itself. p

The present invention is particularly valuable in connection with theweaving of tubular fabrics of varying diameters and shapes such, forexample, as incandescent gas mantles. It is customary at the presenttime to either form such mantles from flat strips'of material. or fromsuitable lengths of tubular material by plaiting the ends.

It will be apparent that bythe use of the P esent inv nt n a mantl lessextensibl in the dire ion of -.either the Warp :or-we-ft may be exactlyformed and shaped.

' Th1s invention is also held to cover the v fabric produced by themachine as above described, the fabric being woven to the shape of thearticle (for example, a gas-mantle) which it is intended to produce.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 isan elevation showing thecomplete machine;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section f a part of the machine to a'largerscale;

Fig. 3 is a partial plan, beingasection on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; y

Figs. 4 and 5 are views showing details of themachine; y Fig. 6-showsthe operating cams and their carrier in central verticalsection;

Fig. 7 is a perspective ,view showing the driving mechanism, and Figs.8, 9 and IOarediagrammatic views showing the process of weaving.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughoutthe figures. HThe machine comprises suitable :standards .20, supporting a table 21,provided with a central circular, opening. Vertical frame-members 22 areprovided with inwardlydirected brackets 23, which carry an annularplate24c. WVithin the circular opening in the table 21 'there is mounted.or formed integrally, SeeQF-ig. 2, an annular member '25 carried onbrackets 26 and plate 24 is coaxial with a pin. on the lower plate'27.These pins constitute guides or supports for bobbin carriers [as shown amost clearly in Fig. 2, the bobbin carrierwith its spaced awayv from theinner .edge of the bobbin being illustrated in- Fig. 5. The

bobbin-carrier comprises bowed strip .29 formed-with or secured to -acentra lly perr ediplat bos 0 a each in fl-tl fi 2O bearings on theframe 20.

two plates facing one another and being provided on their opposed faceswith central hollow trunnion portions 31 whereon can be mounted thebobbin 32 which has suitably shaped recesses at its ends to engage thesetrunnions. The bowed strip 29 is provided with an aperture 33 at themiddle of its length to serve as a thread-guide, so that the thread fromthe bobbin 32 is always led off at the same point.

"The annular'space between the table 21 and the inner member is occupiedby a rotary cylinder 40 having a flange 41 which rests upon the table 21and the member 25 aforesaid and is rotatable thereon. A flange 42depending from the lower side of the flange 41 is provided with teeth 43adapted to be engaged by a gear-wheel 44 driven by the main drivingspindle 45 of the machine, this-spindle 45 being mounted in suitable Theouter circumference of the stationary cylinder 27 is provided withparallel aXial notches or grooves wherein are mounted jacks 46 which arefree to slide vertically therein. These jacks are each provided with anoutwardly extending tongue 47 to engage a cam surface formed on theinner face of' the rotating cylinder 40 as hereinafter described. Theupper ends of the jacks are formed as laterally extending flanges 48which may be forked to embrace a pin 28 of the lower series of pins, andthe number of jacks provided is equal to the number of pins in the lowerseries. The jacks are 3 arranged in two series, those of one serieswhich'are operated by one cam alternating with those of the other serieswhich are operated by another cam. The forked ends 48 are adapted toengage the undersides or lower endsof the bobbin-supports 30 whichclined portion '51.

are mounted on the pins 28 so that as the jacks are raised and loweredby the cams they can each lift a bobbin-supportand its bobbinfrom alower pin toan upper pin.

f The cams for the operation of the acks maintained stationary at itsupper level by the cam-surface 50. At a later point in the revolution ofthe cylinder 40, a second inclined'portion similar to that shown at 51brings the jack back to the lower level 49.

In order to insurepositive operation of thejacks in both directions thecam takes the form of a groove at the inclined portion 51,

but a single cam surface is sufficient at the parts 49 and 50 slncethere IS no tendency two'separate cams paths are provided one above theother and they each engage alternate jacks as above described. The camsare arranged to lift and lower the bobbin supports and bobbins once ineach revolution' of the cylinder 40; that is to say during eachrevolution, the upper and lower sets of bobbins change place andthenreturn to their original positions. These bobbins sup ply thewarp-threads for the tubular fabric to be woven in the mannerhereinafter described. In order to insure the bobbins moving down andnot sticking in their raised positions when the jacks are drawn down, acam 7 9 may be fixed as shownon the cylinder 40 to engage the bobbins orbobbin-- carriers themselves and force them down at the same time as thejacks are moved down, orshortly afterward.

The cylinder 40 has brackets 53 secured upon its outer face at twodiametrically opposite points each bracket carrying a vertical pin 54which constitutes a support for the cop 55. These two cops supply theweftthreads for the tubular fabric in the manner hereinafter described.Adjacent to each of the brackets '53 there is also mounted upon theouter face of the cylinder 40 an upstand ing arm 56 carrying at itsupper end an arm or knife 57 directed radially inward. This knife istapered transversely as shown most jack and permit the knife 57 to passbetween them. The boss or plate 30 on the bobbincarrier as shown in Fig.5, is rounded or chamfered, and the edge of the side of the forked end48 of each jack may be similarly inclined or curved so as to insure theeasy entry of the" knife between the jack and the bobbin-carrier.

The knife 57 is provided with a suitable thread-guide, conveniently alongitudinal hole 58 (see Fig. 4), which receives the thread from thecop 55 and directs it radially inward delivering it inside the circle ofthe bobbins 32. Two of these brackets 56 are provided one for each cop55, so that there are two separate weft-threads used in the weaving ashereinafter described.

The weaving of the tubular fabric takes place on a mandrel centrallysituated with respect to the circles of bobbins. The mandrel 60, asillustrated in Fig. 1, is carried on a vertical rod 61 mounted to slidevertically in suitable guides 62 under the control of any suitablemechanism. In the case illustrated, a wheel 63 revolved at a uniformrate carries a roller 64 eccentrically mounted on it and engaging aroller 65 secured on the vertical rod or spindle 61, This is equivalentto a crank and connectingrod mechanism so that the mandrel 60 isreciprocated with an approximately harmonic motion. The wheel 63 isoperated by means of a worm 66 mounted on a shaft 67 which ischain-driven from the main driving shaft 45. The mandrel itselfcomprises a cylindrical portion 60, a hemispherical portion 70,

and a peg 71. The hemispherical portion 70 has a spiral shoulder outupon it, the direction and angle of the spiral corresponding to thespiral on which the weft threads are laid, that is to say to thedirection of rotation of the cylinder 40. When the cylinder rotates inan anti-clockwise direction viewing it in plan, the spiral isright-handed and vice versa. Surrounding the mandrel and coaxial with itis a cylindrical thread guide 69 mounted on the table 21. This directsthe warp-threads on to the mandrel.

The vertical surface of the spiral shoulder may be sloped inward anddownward to a -slight degree to facilitate the downward drawing-off ofthe woven fabric, and it is further to be understood that the spiralshoulder is not essential although it is the preferred construction.Alternatively the surface of the hemisphere could be slightly roughenedor )rovided with small horizontal serrations or otherwise formed toenable the weft-threads to lie upon that portion of the surface to.which the weaving plane is nearly tangential, without slipping off underthe tension at which they are wound on.

On the lower part of the frame 20 of the machine there is mounted a pairof draw-off rolers 75, 76. The roller is driven through a worm-gear 77from the main driving-shaft 42-5, and the roller 76 is so mounted thatit is free to move toward and away from :the roller '75 and is held incontact'therewith by springs 78. 7 These two rollers are so mounted thattheir line of contact is vertically beneath the axis of the mandrel andthey receive between them the tubular fabric and draw it down, as is iswoven, off the mandrel 60. .7

The operation of this machine will nowbe described. Thebobbins 32, eachfilledwith. the thread or yarn which is to beused, are

mounted in place and the'thread from'each' is laid through the aperture33 in its support 29, over the upper edge of the cylindricalthread-guide 69, and thence clownward longitudinally of the mandred tothe drawing-off rollers 7 5, 76, these threads.con-' stituting the Warpof the tubular fabric which is to be woven. The cops 55 are mounted inposition and the thread or yarn from each of them is laid through theguide 58 in the knife 57 and lapped around the mandrel. These threadsconstitute the weft of the tubular fabric which is to be woven.

During the rotation of the cops '55 about the mandrel, the bobbins 32are alternately raised and lowered through the weaving plane by theaction of the cams. Referring to Fig. 9 it will be seen that thewarpthreads, a, a 7), b 0, 0 are arranged in two groups, the alternatethreads at, Z), 0, coming from bobbins which are in their loweredposition, while the others a 6 0 come from bobbins which are in theirraised position. In this position the warp-threads as shown are readyforthe laying-on of the weft-thread d this position having been arrivedat by laying-on the weft-thread d and then reversing the relativepositions of the bobbins for the warp-threads. V

The machine is now set. in motion, so that thecylinder 40 is set inrotation and carries the cops 55 around the mandrel 60. It will be seenthat the weft threads are always laid on the mandrel in the samehorizontal plane, such plane being determined by the plane ofrotation'of the knives 57. Assuming that the mandrel is atits uppermostposition, the peg 71 at its lower end lies in this plane, and the fabricis therefore woven closely around the peg. The weft-threads are under a.certain amount of tension provided in any convenient or well knownmanner so as to be drawn closely around the mandrel, and thediameter ofthe mandrel at the plane in which the weaving takes place thereforedetermines the diameter of the tubular fabric. Asz'the hemisphericalportion 70 of the mandrel passes through the plane of weawng, the fabricwill be woven to .a corresponding hemispherical shape; "The rate ofdownward movement of the mandrel I is preferably equal to the rate atwhich {the warp-threads, and the woven" fabric, are:

drawn down bythe drawing-off rollers-so that the fabric travels down atthe same rate as the'mandrel, fitting closely to it. It will beappreciated that the weft threads are laid on in acontinuous soiral theangle cylindrical at its upper end.

formed by the weft-threads, so that the threads are laid as a pair onthe vertical face of the shoulder. It will be obvious that the mechanismused for-reciprocating the man drel gives only approximately harmonicmotion instead of a uniform rate of movement, but in practice this isfound to be satisfactory.

As the operation of the machine continues the mandrel moves downward andhas the fabric closely woven to it so) that the shape of the fabric isdetermined by the shape of the mandrel which is hemispherical orotherwise tapered at the lower end and The downward movement of themandrel ceases while the cylindrical portion is still opposite the planeof weaving, and upward movement then commences. During such upwardmovement the woven. fabric continues to be drawn oil? downward by therollers 75, Y and the cylindrical shape of the fabric is maintained solong as the cylindrical part of the mandrel intersects the plane ofweaving. Then, however, the portion of the mandrel rises into the planeof weaving, the diameter on which the weaving is effected issuccessively reduced and the diameter of the woven fabric iscorrespondingly reduced.

The spiral shoulder above-mentioned which is used on the hemisphericalpart 70 of the mandrel does not interfere with this part of theoperation of the device, since almost immediately after each weft-threadis laid on the mandrel, it is drawn-off owing to the. downward movementof the woven fabric and the upward movement of the mandrel. This part ofthe operation is illustrated in Fig. 10, which shows in diagrammaticform, the extent to which the weaving of the tubular fabric hasproceeded when the mandrel has nearly approached the up per limit of itstravel. The weaving started on the peg 71 when the: part E was formedduring the downward movement of the mandrel. The hemispherical portion Fwas next formed, this having the same shape as the mandrel, since themandrel moved down at the" rate at which the fabric was drawn off, andthen the lower half G of the cylindrical portion was formed. At aboutthe point H the mandrel reached the lowest point of its travel and itsmotion was reversed. The cylindrical portion \J was then woven, and whenthe hemispherical 70 of the man- 7 drel is passing through the plane ofweaving, as shown in the figure, the hemispherical portion K of thefabric is formed. Since the movement of the mandrel is at the same ratewhether itis going upward or clownward, the part K is exactly similar tothe art F, because the shaping is determined by the rate at which themandrel moves through the weaving plane. The upward movement of themandrel continues until the peg 71 passes through the weaving plane whena portion similar to E will be formed. This operation continues so longas the warp and weft-threads are supplied, and the resultant tubularfabric consists of a series of bag-like portions nearly or substantiallyclosed at each end, connected together by the small tubular portions E.These baglike portions are separated at the narrow parts E and then eachbag is divided at H in the middle of its length, to provide two mantleswhich it will be seen are of the requisite shape, such shaping havingbeen achieved in the weaving of the material.

It will be appreciated that any desired shaping may be given to themandrel and that such shaping will be a factor in the shaping of thetubular fabric. In addition to varying the shape of the mandrel, therateat which it is moved past the weaving point may also be varied, and suchvariations, it

will be appreciated, are also a factor in the shape to which the articleis woven. It also lies within the scope of this invention to weave thefabric in a bag-shape to the shape of the mandrel and then to withdrawthe mandrel rapidly so as to start weaving again on the peg and therebyproduce a series of bag-like portions all arranged the same way insteadof being in pairs as above described.

It may be pointed out that any desired number of spools 55 for theweft-threads may be used but in order to obtain a true weave withoutcrossing the cam-paths for the warp-bobbins, it is desirable that aneven number of weft-threads should be used. If a single or odd number ofweft-threads were used, the weaving would not be true in that theweft-threads would always pass over and under the same warp-threads instead of passing alternately under and over each.

Any desired feeding-mechanism may be used for imparting the desiredmotion to the mandrel longitudinally of its own axis. If it isconsidered essential that the rate of movement of this mandrel should beuniform and notharmonic, or approximately harmonic, it maybe gear drivenfrom the wheel 63 through a pair of vertical racks, any convenientmechanism being arranged to transfer the drive suddenly from one binsdisposed in a circle thereon, jacks for operating said bobbins,rotatablecams for moving said jacks, weft thread supports rotatable withsaid cams, weft threads carried by said supports, a reciprocatingmandrel upon which the fabricis woven, and means for withdrawing thefabric from said mandrel as it is woven, substantially as de scribed.

2. In a machine for weaving cylindrical fabrics, of varying diameters,the combination with a support of a series of warp bobbins disposedthereon, jacks for operating said bobbins, means for moving said jacks,weft thread supports carried by said means, means for rotating saidmeans, a mandrel, and means for automatically reciprocating said mandrelduring the operation of said machine, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for weaving cylindrical fabrics of varying diameters,the combination with a support of a series of warp bobbins supportedthereon, means for operating said bobbins to form a shed, means forsupplying weft threads, a mandrel upon which the fabric i woven, andmeans for automatically reciprocating said mandrel during the weaving ofthe fabric thereon, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for weaving cylindrical fabrics of varying diameters,the combination with a support of a series of warp bobbins supportedthereon, means for operating'said bobbins to form a shed, means forsupplying weft threads, a mandrel upon which the fabric is woven, meansfor automatically reciprocating said mandrel during the weaving of thefabric thereon, and means for withdrawing the woven fabric from saidmandrel as it is woven thereon, substantially as described.

' 5. In a machine for weaving cylindrical fabric of varying diameters,the combination with a support, of a series of warp bobbins supportedthereon, means for operating said bobbins to form a shed, means forsupplying weft threads, a mandrel upon which the fabric is woven, meansfor automatically reciprocating said mandrel during the weaving of thefabric thereon, said mandrel being shaped in accordance with the varyingdiameter of thefabric to be woven, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for weaving tubular fabrics, means for supplying warpthreads, means for supplying weft threads, a mandrel on which the fabricis to be woven, and means for continuously reciprocating said mandrelduring the weaving of the fabric thereon, substantially as described.

7. In a machine for weaving tubular fabrics, a mandrel, means forcontinuously reciprocating said mandrel, means for supplying warpthreads to said mandrel, means for supplying weft threads to saidmandrel, and

across the transverse weaving plane at the means for continuouslydrawing 05 the fabric from said mandrel as it is woven thereon,substantially as described.

8. In a machine for weaving tubular fabrics, a mandrel, means fordisplacing the 'mandrel longitudinally of its own axis,

dinally of the axis thereof irrespective of the position of the mandrel,substantially as described.

9. In a machine for weaving tubularfabrics, a mandrel, means fordisplacing the mandrel longitudinally of its own axis, means forsupplying warp threads to said mandrel, means for supplying weft threadsto said mandrel, and means for guiding said weft threads whereby theyare always laid on the mandrel in the same position longitudinally ofthe axis thereof irrespective of the position of the mandrel, saidmandrel having different portions thereof of different diameters,substantially as described.

10. In a machine for weaving tubular fabrics, a mandrel, means fordisplacing the mandrel longitudinally of its own axis, means forsupplying warp threads to said 95 mandrel, means for supplying weftthreads whereby they are always laid on the mandrel in the same positionlongitudinally of the axis thereof irrespective of the position of themandrel, said mandrel having a portion of its length provided with aspiral shoulder, substantially as described.

11. In a machine for weaving tubular fabrics shaped and substantiallyclosed at both ends, the combination with a circular loom weaving in atransverse plane, of a mandrel shaped to substantially conform to thefinished shape of the fabric being woven, and means for automaticallyreciprocating said mandrel as the fabric is woven thereon, substantiallyas described.

12. In a machine for weaving woven fabrics shaped and substantiallyclosed at both ends, the combination with a circular loom weaving in afixed transverse plane, of a mandrel shaped to substantially conform tothe finished shape of the fabric being Woven, and means forreciprocating said mandrel same lineal velocity as the fabric is formedthereon, substantially as described.

13. In a machine for weaving woven fabrics shaped and substantiallyclosed at both ends, the combination with a circular loom weaving in afixed transverse plane, of a mandrel shaped to substantially conform tothe finished shape of the fabric being woven, means for reciprocatingsaid mandrel across 1 the transverse weaving plane at the same linealvelocity as the fabric is formed thereweft threads, and a shaped mandrelto which said threads are fed, said mandrel having a tapered surfaceprovided with a spiral shoulder, the angle of which is equal to theangle of the spiral on which the weft threads are laid, substantially asdescribed.

15. In a circular loom for Weaving shaped tubular fabrics, means forfeeding weft and warp threads, a shaped mandrel to which said threadsare fed, and means for reciprocating said mandrel during the weaving of,the fabric thereon, said mandrel having a surface provided with aspiral shoulder, the 1 angle of'which is equal to the angle of thespiral on which the weft threads are laid, substantially as described; 7

16. A mandrel for circular looms, comprising a body portion having partof its surface provided with a spiral shoulder, substantially asdescribed.

17. A mandrel for circular looms, comprising a body portion having partof its surface provided with a spiral shoulder, the angle of which issubstantially equal'to the angle of the spiral on which the weft threadsare laid, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THOMAS TERRELL.

